Not Just a Cookie Cutter!

"Can't see the forest for the trees".
Ever heard that?

Something has happened to me REPEATEDLY over the past three weeks.
At first, I thought 'huh?'. Then I laughed. Finally, I got creative.
And that's when I realized my brain was trying to tell me something....

So, here's the situation:
In my new position in retail at the Happiest Place on Earth, 

I see a LOT of certain products. The ears, for example. They are EVERYWHERE.
And there's this ONE item that is right by the registers, 

where people routinely pick it up. They look at it. Some buy it.
But many - and I mean MANY  - many more than you would expect -
pick it up and look at cashiers and ask 

'What IS this? What's it FOR?'
every.single.day.

May I present said item?:

words FAIL me.

I just don't get how people do NOT know what this is.

I am not talking about people from far-flung foreign lands here, friends...
These are people from first-world countries with stores and books and web shopping.

It's a cookie cutter. 

In the shape of Mickey Mouse ears.

Pretty standard item. At least, I THOUGHT it was!

Anyway, after wiping the astonished look off of my face and replacing it with a suitable Disney smile,

I began to share different ideas for using this apparatus with those who asked about it.
I solve the mystery for guests and expound the versatility of said item,

sharing 'value added' uses with them.

The guests and my co-cast members have repeatedly told me that 

I have a very unique way of seeing things.
Is that a compliment???!

... and that's when I realized that the reason I HAVE this blog

is because I do not think like other people do,

and I need to take the things that smack me across the face on a daily basis 

and turn them into blog fodder!

continue reading to find out the ideas I had for the Mickey Ear Cookie Cutter

[ which are borne out of things that I've done for YEARS in my own home ]
because they are applicable to ANY cookie cutter at ANY time of year...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Even if you have no Irish blood in your family line, 

St. Pat's Day is the day that EVERYONE can be Irish and celebrate!

In a similar way, ANYTHING in your home can work as 'party decor'....
and everything doesn't have to be printed with shamrocks to be festive.
It's easy: just start with the color green, and create!

Here are some examples of how everyday dishes, gift wrap, and serveware

can be combined to create a fun green & white service bar or table setting.

A few items with shamrocks are shown, too ;)

 ... and of course, you can decorate YOURSELF, too!

 You wouldn't want to be caught without some green on!

Valentine's Day Post Roundup

Looking for sweet and love-ly ideas for February decor?
Check out my

Valentines Day post ROUND-UP!

View ALL of my Valentine's Day posts

.

shared online:

2016: yesterday on tuesday | project inspire{d}

A 5 Minute Project to Love

 I found a hidden-away stash of miniature metal frames!

I snagged one and did a quick project with it,  just for me.

True to form, I utilized a 'Fast, Cheap & Easy'TM method:

I grabbed a white paint pen and scribbled all over the metal!

That changed the frame from silver to white  - in a matter of three minutes.
Now the details of the carving really stand out.

I turned the photo print around, stuck a heart on it, added the word 'love',

then I sat it in the back of my miniature 'Grandpa's Truck' in my office:

This took me all of five minutes to make, my friends...

and it's a really sweet little vignette on my shelf that I see dozens of times a day.
It's not only about Valentine's Day coming soon,
but about that truck and the memories of my Grandpa's truck that I love.

I'm sharing this to remind you that
seasonal decorating doesn't have to be a huge undertaking.
It can be something you do in five minutes

just to brighten up a corner or a shelf, or a gift-wrapped present - and your day!

Vintage Style Gift Wrap

I'd like to share some of my ideas for last-minute Holiday gift wrap

using everyday items and vintage elements!

Some of these ideas have previously been published in
Creating Vintage Style and FOLK magazines,
as well as here on the homewardFOUNDdecor blog

linen stockings, simple burlap wraps, and sweater sleeves
make fast and stylish work of wrapping hostess gifts!

See more in Wrap It With Style

Paper printed to look like sweaters, REAL sweaters, and vintage embellishments

bring charm to gifts under the tree...

See more in Embellished Gift Wraps

Even the Dollar Tree has items that can elevate a gift wrap from ho-hum to ho-ho-ho!

See more in Last Minute Wrapping

May your Holiday be filled with family and friends, peace and love
and the time to enjoy them fully... 
[because we all know that the BEST gifts can't be wrapped]

I'll be flying to Seattle on Christmas Eve to be with my family for the week -
a Christmas gift that is beyond anything I could have dreamed of! (2013)
_____________________________________________

HOMEWARDfound posts will resume after the New Year
with Winter decorating inspiration and ideas

FREE Weekend Makeover: Part 4

Welcome to the final post in my
week-long four-part series:

How to refresh, restyle, and redecorate without spending a CENT -
  by using what you already have!

Today's final reveal is the Master Bedroom and the upstairs Hallway,
two areas where it didn't take too much work to bring color and life to the rooms.
Remember, everything you see in the photos was already here - 
I just needed to help it come out of hiding!

 The Master Bedroom

Before:
The walls are soft mocha, the bed is a sculptural black iron, and the other furnishings are black wood.
A perfect neutral palette to start with.

The deep red pillows and tablecloth just made this room feel dark when combined with the black -
not to mention that this is the hottest room in the house
and red is not a color that cools you off in the summertime!

Note that the bamboo window blind stops mid-wall... it covers a small square window,
but every time I looked at it, it felt like an old air conditioner was hidden behind it!

After:
The fabric hanging on the bed is a printed cotton tablecloth,
which I found brand new in its bag in the living room buffet drawer.
[I should have ironed it]
Along with adding color and pattern to the room, 
this softens the look of the bed - which is all angles.

continue reading for more of the tour...

Mothers Day Flowers Are In the Bag!

Flowers from the grocery market or corner florist are the default Mothers Day gift... 

every mother knows that.

[sorry, gang, it's not a secret.]
If you are grabbing a bouquet or potted plant on the way to brunch with Mom,

here's a way to make those flowers look like ANYTHING but 'last minute'...

Hit up a vintage fashion boutique or thrift shop
or TJ Maxx, Ross, or Marshalls if you want something new.

Grab a cute, colorful PURSE or HANDBAG or TOTE BAG.

Put the grocery store flowers into the purse!
[for extra brownie points from Mom, add a matching scarf]

it's GIFT and GIFTWRAP all in one!

Shown here, a simple and inexpensive grocery store bouquet of tulips
placed in a double-layer plastic bag 'vase' is tucked inside a vintage beaded evening bag.

A pair of lacy gloves are the perfect finishing touch...

Potted plants from the hardware store are slipped into a plastic grocery bag, 

then nestled inside a bright, colorful spring purse.

a canvas beach tote or woven market bag would work just as well!

A coordinating scarf is an extra-special finishing touch!

Now sit back and wait for the compliments [and glares of jealousy from siblings]

when you present YOUR flowers to Mom! ;)

psssst.... these would also be PERFECT table centerpieces
for a Mother's Day brunch, luncheon, or tea!

shared online:

Funky Junk Interiors | New Upcycled Projects to Make #625

Yesterday on Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}

Mothers Day Garden Party

Sometimes it is the simplest things that really make a day special...

and a few simple touches combined can turn breakfast or brunch outdoors on Mothers Day

into a treat that Mom will love (and you can enjoy, too, because it's EASY!)

This second theme for Mothers Day decor is a 'garden party', 

and was inspired by the tin can flower baskets I shared for May Day.

[my tutorial for those can be found in this post]

The bright happy colors in the seed packets on the cans and in the flowers

create a cheerful way to celebrate Mom as soon as she wakes up!

Simple Ideas for a Garden Party:

* Obvious theme references are flowers, plants, gardening tools, flowerpots, and seed packets.

Using everyday items like this in the decor means you don't have to SHOP for any!

* A vintage floral tablecloth is used on the table and on the buffet.
[Floral-pattern bedsheets, quilts, or fabric would work beautifully, as well].

* A long table placed in front of a porch swing invites a leisurely morning...

pull up a few folding chairs in slipcovers to round out the seating for an alfresco setting.

* The green dishes are simple melamine picnic ware - easy care, easy cleanup!
Plastic wine glasses for mimosas and ceramic coffee mugs come in handy,
and a small ceramic bowl at each place can hold a used tea bag, an egg, or orange peels.

* Yellow cotton napkins are rolled and popped into the coffee mug handles to prevent 'flyaways'.

* A yellow glazed flowerpot holds flatware on the buffet for easy service.

* The tin can flower baskets paired with flowers, fruit, more seed packets and sassy garden gloves

make charming centerpieces - raised up on clear glass cake plates for presence.

* Gifts are gathered up in cheerful gingham checked bags...

and those same bags make PERFECT covers for just-bought flowering plants.
[Use them in the decor in the morning, plant them in Mom's garden in the afternoon!]

Ready to create a similar tablescape?
You can create tin can flower baskets with my Tutorial

More Mothers Day tablescape inspiration in yesterday's post

shared online:

Creative Country Mom | Home Sweet Garden Party

Mothers Day Tea Tablescape

Mothers Day is this Sunday, 
and this week I have two lovely tablescape inspirations for you...

Today's theme was inspired by the Ivy Dome featured on Monday's blog post

[click over to see my 'Fast, Cheap & Easy' TM project tutorial]

This tablescape is built around the ivy's green and white color scheme

and it is a perfect setting for a brunch, luncheon, or tea outdoors...

This table decor is simple, and the style is all in the details:

* A patio, sunroom, garden, or backyard deck is the perfect location for a party...

umbrellas or an overhead trellis provide dappled shade, and sunhats are a thoughtful touch.

* A garden swing adds to the color scheme and is a whimsical seating option.

* Pots of garden herbs coordinate with the color scheme, and add scent to the setting

* The Ivy Dome sits on a glass cake pedestal, sheltering a lilac-scented candle from the breeze.

* Vintage white ironstone and milk glass pieces hold white tulips and herbs, 

as a centerpiece and as individual nosegay favors at each place setting.

* White lace adds feminine charm in a sprinkling of crochet doilies, 

paper doilies as placemats, and vintage lace gloves & scarf on display.

* Clear glass votive cups in the shape of flowerpots coordinate with the garden theme,

and a lacy white cupcake collar dresses them up to serve the first course.

* The color scheme extends to the fresh gingham gift bags, displayed in a twill totebag.

[...and yes, those are the same gift bags that I used in my office!]

* Vintage glassware in green and blush pink adds a soft touch of color...

matched by the blush wine and ginger rose teabags.

Ready to create a similar tablescape?
You can turn a wire tomato cage into an ivy dome with my Tutorial